Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, first let me salute my colleague from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Mr. Specter. He will be leaving the Senate at the end of this year. He has done many things throughout his senatorial career, but I am glad he brought the attention of the Senate this afternoon to his extraordinary effort when it comes to the field of medical research. When the record is written on his service to our country and to the Senate, I think the list will begin with his commitment to dramatic increases in medical research at the National Institutes of Health.

Senator Specter is leaving the floor now, but I can tell you, during the course of his remarks I was reminded of how many times he came to the Appropriations Committee and challenged us to raise more money for medical research. His challenges were met with cooperation on a bipartisan basis in the Senate. I don't know that anyone can even measure how many lives have been saved by that extraordinary investment. But he made that commitment as a Senator and he continues to make it in the field of stem cell research.

The point he makes is irrefutable. If these stem cells are not used for research to find cures for deadly, crippling diseases, they will be discarded--thrown away. It is not a question of whether they will be human lives at some point, human embryos. They are going to be thrown away, discarded because they were not used during the course of efforts of young couples to enlarge their families. I think it is only appropriate that we use these stem cells to save lives, to spare misery and spare suffering, and I certainly agree with Senator Specter's conclusion.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source